Josie
When I woke up that morning, my chest ached before my eyes even opened. It wasn't the dull, familiar pain of exhaustion — it was sharper, emptier, like something had been carved out of me while I slept. My throat felt raw, my temples throbbed, and for a split second, I couldn't remember why it hurt to breathe.
And then I did.
Varen's voice came back to me, loud and cold.
"I reject you as my mate."
The words replayed in my head like a curse. My stomach twisted, and I clutched at my chest as tears stung my eyes again. The bond — that invisible thread that had tied my heart to his — felt frayed, like it was bleeding out.
A sob escaped me before I could stop it. I pressed a hand over my mouth to muffle the sound, but the room was so silent that it echoed anyway.
